Ravens' legend Terrell Suggs sits down with WJZ's Rick Ritter ahead of Ring of Honor induction
BALTIMORE - (Note: This is the first of three pieces in our sit-down interview with former Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs)
WJZ's Rick Ritter traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona to find out what Ravens legend Terrell "T-Sizzle" Suggs is up to now.
The retired outside linebacker will be inducted into the Ravens' Ring of Honor on Oct. 22 when the Ravens host the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium.
Suggs was a seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker and the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He played 16 seasons (2003-18) for Baltimore, and had 132.5 sacks and 37 forced fumbles with the franchise.
Suggs, a 2003 first-round pick out of Arizona State, was a member of Baltimore's 2012 Super Bowl XLVII-winning team.
He ranks eighth in NFL history in sacks.
Ritter: "Here we are, Terrell Suggs, tucked away in Scottsdale Arizona, what you been up to out here?"
Terrell Suggs: "Nothing much man, raising my son, my kids, & playing basketball. That's my life right now."
Ritter: "You're kind of in the background a little bit, you're not on social media, not putting yourself out there, do you like it like that?"
Suggs: "This time in my life right now is what I always wanted to get to, I just get to be dad, now. My daughter is a sophomore, my son is a freshman and I just get to go to their games and kind of pester them and embarrass them a little bit. Playing for the Ravens was fun, it was more like me living life, being young but now this is where life starts, strictly being a dad."
Ritter: "For you, what stands out as your favorite Baltimore memory?"
Suggs: "Definitely New Orleans, 2012. That whole ride. If you think about it, it was so special. It was the last time all of us played together in terms of Ray, Ed, Haloti, myself. It was the last time we were all on the field together. That year, I mean, we always thought Ray Lewis was Maximus. Indestructible. He got injured and then came back right before the playoffs and worked really hard to get back and he told us, this is going to be it for me. I cried, I believe Haloti cried and it all just stuck with us and we were like alright, if that's it, we're going out with a bang and it showed on the field."
"I mean it really was just that Ravens persona. We loved who we were, what we were doing and most importantly, we loved each other."
Ritter: "I mean you talk about rare. How rare was it to have three Hall of Fame guys, you, a future hall of famer, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, all on the same team. I mean, that doesn't happen. It's unheard of."
Suggs: "You're right, it doesn't happen and you mentioned all of us and all of us won player of the year and it's the only time in NFL history that three defensive players of year were all drafted on the same team and played together. I mean I'll be honest, I was naive, personally, I didn't think I would ever play games not in a Ravens uniform and not with my brothers, Ray, Ed, and Haloti but time gets us all."
Ritter: "If you asked Baltimore fans whether Terrell Suggs would be in another uniform, they would say that would never happen, but it happened. Today, tell me, is that the way you wanted it to end?
Suggs: "No, it was not. It was not the way I wanted it to end. I'll tell you all now because it's been enough time. My mom was terminally ill. No one knows this, we're a pretty private family. She was pretty much in her final stages and I couldn't be in both places at once, both Arizona and Baltimore. I couldn't look after her and train, work out and go back to Baltimore. I just couldn't do both. I was going to sign back and I decided at the last minute I cant', I couldn't. If something happened to my mom while I was gone, I would've never forgiven myself. Ozzie called me and said Terrell, what are you doing? Sizzle, your kids live here in Baltimore. I said I know Oz but it's just something I have to do. So, I came home to kind of take care of my mom and she ended up passing the next year but we did have that last year together. She got to see some of my Cardinals games here and that time with her was special. At the end of the day, it wasn't how I wanted it to end. I wanted to be in black and purple forever but it didn't happen that way."
Ritter: "It's obvious you were a great son and are a great dad. You did what you had to do. With that being said, I think I already know this answer, you do consider yourself a Raven for life, right?"
Suggs: "Raven for life, Raven for life. From the moment I got there, it was just like my life changed, my football career just changed. I played with football Gods. Who can say they played with the best Left Tackle ever, the best Middle Linebacker ever, the best Strong Safety together? I was on the team with all of these guys, all of these hall of famers."
Ritter: "What do you miss most about city of Baltimore?"
Suggs: "I miss the people, miss the tailgating, driving up to stadium, everyone going crazy knowing its me. They embraced me as one of their own. Sizzle is ours, they said. They've been so great to me. They embraced me with love and I'll always feel that way."
